Bill Text: FL S1952 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Required Instruction in the Public Schools

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-07 - Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration [S1952 Detail]

Download: Florida-2011-S1952-Introduced.html

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       Florida Senate - 2011                                    SB 1952
       
       
       
       By Senator Garcia
       
       
       
       
       40-01293-11                                           20111952__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to required instruction in the public
    3         schools; amending s. 1003.42, F.S.; revising the
    4         curriculum of the character-development program
    5         required in kindergarten through grade 12; providing
    6         an effective date.
    7  
    8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    9  
   10         Section 1. Paragraph (s) of subsection (2) of section
   11  1003.42, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   12         1003.42 Required instruction.—
   13         (2) Members of the instructional staff of the public
   14  schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education
   15  and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and
   16  faithfully, using the books and materials required that meet the
   17  highest standards for professionalism and historic accuracy,
   18  following the prescribed courses of study, and employing
   19  approved methods of instruction, the following:
   20         (s) A character-development program in kindergarten through
   21  grade 12 the elementary schools, similar to Character First or
   22  Character Counts, which is secular in nature. Core values that
   23  should be stressed are honesty, virtue, moral courage, dignity
   24  of honest labor, patriotism, self-discipline, self-respect,
   25  perseverance, duty, honor, compassion, charity, and other
   26  qualities of character that better prepare students to recognize
   27  and accept the responsibility for preserving the blessings of
   28  liberty inherited from prior generations. In the primary
   29  classroom in kindergarten through grade 5, the goal should be to
   30  integrate the core values into lessons throughout subject
   31  matter. Beginning in school year 2004-2005, the character
   32  development program shall be required in kindergarten through
   33  grade 12. Each district school board shall develop or adopt a
   34  curriculum for the character-development program that shall be
   35  submitted to the department for approval. Each principal,
   36  administrator, teacher, and other appropriate school personnel
   37  must be informed of this paragraph at the beginning of each
   38  school year. The character-development curriculum shall stress
   39  the qualities of patriotism; responsibility; citizenship;
   40  kindness; respect for authority, life, liberty, and personal
   41  property; honesty; charity; self-control; racial, ethnic, and
   42  religious tolerance; and cooperation.
   43  
   44  The State Board of Education is encouraged to adopt standards
   45  and pursue assessment of the requirements of this subsection.
   46         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.